Illini win Braggin' Rights game -- again

Sunday

This season, like others, Illinois came to the Braggin' Rights game with a victory looking improbable. Once again, Illinois came away with an unlikely victory.

This season, like others, Illinois came to the Braggin' Rights game with a victory looking improbable. Once again, Illinois came away with an unlikely victory.

Missouri lost turnovers on its final two possessions and failed to score in the final 2 minutes 56 seconds as Illinois escaped with a 59-58 win. The Illini's eighth consecutive win tied the series record.

Not yet. Even when they came into the game following a depressing overtime loss at home to Miami (Ohio) on Thursday, these Illini extended a holiday tradition.

There was 2003 game, when the Illini showed up with star point guard Deron Williams on the bench with a broken jaw and Missouri 10 spots higher in the top 25. In 2001 and 2002, Missouri also entered the game with the higher ranking. But Illinois kept winning against the Tigers. Searching for something special, Illinois heard a pregame pep talk from Flyin' Illini guard Stephen Bardo.

Even if it doesn't jive with most maps, it works with current basketball geography. The Illini remained undefeated in this building in the not-so-new millennium. Illinois hasn't lost to the Tigers since 1999, when Illinois' coach was Lon Kruger. The winning streak matched Illinois' run from 1983-1990, a year after Bardo graduated.

"It's tradition,'' said Illini forward Brian Randle. "We had a good run here. Stephen Bardo spoke to us, let us know about the history, for the guys already here and the younger guys. We want to leave a mark. It's about getting on a roll, keeping that tradition going and really feeling good going into Christmas.''

After Missouri guard Keon Lawrence dribbled the ball off his leg and out of bounds at the buzzer, Randle raced to the media table to celebrate with Bardo.

Illinois improved to 7-4 overall and gave the program a much-needed lift for the team's brief Christmas break. The Illini host Loyola (Md.) on Friday ( 8p.m., Big Ten Network). The victory was the second in the day for the Illini, who received a verbal commitment from Alex Legion, a highly rated guard who will transfer from Kentucky.

"Our kids did a good job of keeping focus, which we haven't done in several games where we lost,'' Weber said. "We needed it worse than (Missouri) did. Our kids found a way to win.

"We talked a lot about a will to win. It's been pretty low the last two weeks with the Arizona and Miami (losses). Now, we have four home games. Hopefully, we can take this, go home and relax, clear our minds and use this as a momentum builder.''

Center Shaun Pruitt had 14 points, including the game-winner with 38 seconds left. He also had eight rebounds. Guard Trent Meacham had 13 points. Randle finished with 11 points and eight rebounds while playing only 17 minutes because of foul trouble.

Missouri fell to 8-4.

"I thought in the last 2 minutes we had some momentum,'' Missouri coach Mike Anderson said. "We had plays that just stopped us.''

The game-winning basket came on Pruitt's rebound basket with 38 seconds left. Illinois missed three shots earlier on the possession. The basket was Pruitt's only field goal of the second half.

The Illini jumped to a 9-0 lead and carried a 32-31 lead into halftime. The Illini also raced to a 43-33 lead to start the second half.

Two days after the offense sputtered against Miami, Pruitt was effective down low early, Randle attacked the basket before drawing his fifth foul and Meacham scored from the perimeter in the first half.

After halftime, the Illini offense lost momentum but did just enough to pull out the victory. Leading 44-35, Illinois scored two points over the next 7 minutes. A 17-4 Missouri run appeared to put the Tigers in control.

But, like Illinois in the last month, the Tigers faltered down the stretch.

Of note

This was the second straight season both teams were unranked for the Braggin' Rights game. … Bruce Weber is 5-0 against the Tigers as Illinois coach.

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